Insidus: Entertainment Inside Us

African Animation Network Rolls Out As A Programming Block With Plans For A 24/7 Station Still Underway

The AAN will first roll out a one-hour weekly edutainment block across networks in Africa at the end of this year, said its founder and head of projects and content Nick Wilson.

The animation-focused programming block will be trialled for three months in partnership with, at present, around 11 partner broadcasters in Sub-Saharan Africa that cannot yet be named.

“These broadcasters have a total audience reach of around 85 million viewers, and we’re conservatively estimating we can engage 8.5 to 12 million kids,” Wilson said.

The ANN plans to secure investment to launch its own linear channel if the trial is successful.

“We’re pretty bullish that we will get further investment to be able to run or at least build out a programme block or a 24/7 linear channel,” Wilson added.

“We want to create a broadcast network across the continent, but we also want to work in partnership with the local broadcasters and assist them in building ecosystems. We do not want to be in competition with them.”

On the content the network would greenlight, Wilson said: “There are only a handful of TV series that have come out of Africa and there is not enough catalogue for us to run a 24/7 linear channel.

“We have relationships with various distributors, who have plugs that we could license into Africa. But ultimately, the idea is for us to build up our channel around a new production company.”

Following the launch of a broadcast network, Wilson said the AAN would look to roll out accompanying digital platforms.

“In our roadmap, we have already identified that streaming or SVoD services will be part of the project’s long-term future, and we will pivot to that when it becomes necessary,” he said.

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Could ViacomCBS International Media Networks In Africa Also Be Opting To Streaming Following The Smithsonian Channels Closure Within The Market?

In September, it was reported that The Smithsonian Channel alongside FOX will stop airing on StarTimes across Africa meaning less international channels for their customers.

The reasons for FOX's demise was already disclosed but The Smithsonian Channel was never stated at least not until another platform being Zuku TV addressed the matter.

According to the East African provider Zuku TV, The Smithsonian Channel was apparently discontinued by the supplier being ViacomCBS International Media Networks.

ViacomCBS International Media Networks already handle other brands in Africa such as Comedy Central, MTV, MTV Base, MTV Hits, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr and Nicktoons.

The problem here is none of Smithsonian's content fit any of these channels and ViacomCBS didn't give their viewers other means of viewing the programming.

So what is going on exactly with ViacomCBS? Why not leave your viewers with other means of viewing the entertainment? Is it possible that The Smithsonian Channel heading to streaming soon?

In 2018, ViacomCBS launched a streaming service for The Smithsonian Channel in the United States called Smithsonian Channel+ which has since been merged onto Paramount+.

Paramount+ which isn't available in South Africa as of yet is home to ViacomCBS other brands (as mentioned earlier) current and future programming.

By taking all this into account, is it possible that more channels from ViacomCBS will join The Smithsonian Channel in this turmoil as viewers wait on the launch of Paramount+.

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New Series Alert: Impak Coming Soon To eVOD

Also read:
- Afrikaans voice actors for Droomvelore and Die Put
- Doodsondes returning for a fourth season on eExtra
- Dokter Ali season 2 coming soon

eVOD has seemingly become the home of not only e.tv local dramas but the Turkish offering available through their Afrikaans block, Kuiertyd.

With most of them now available on eExtra such as Dokter Ali, Kurt En Shura and Voelvry. It looks like eVOD is trying to stay ahead of their linear counterparts by introducing another Turkish drama, Impak.

Impak (Çarpışma), follows Kadir Adalı is the Chief Commissioner of the Organized Crime Branch of the Istanbul Police Department. The moment he loses his wife and daughter in a terrorist act, his happy family life is destroyed. Feeling very sorry for what had happened and suffering from this loss, he decided to end his life. Without realizing it, he causes a catastrophe that changes the lives of four people.

The 2019 action series stars Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ (Die Vreemdeling), Elçin Sangu (As Die Skoen Pas), Onur Saylak, Melisa Aslı Pamuk and Alperen Duymaz which has aired in over 15 markets.

You can stream 10 episodes of the series from Monday 11 October or wait till 2022 to see it on e.tv or eExtra as a replacement for Voelvry, The Girl Named Feriha or Deur Dik En Dun.

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Ahead Of Two New SABC Channels, Glow TV Is The Second Channel To Go Off Air On Openview This Year

After 8 years, eMedia Investments' Openview platform silently parts ways with Nismedia's Indian brand, Glow TV leaving many viewers devastated as to why the channel was terminated from the platform.

eMedia Investments as usual doesn't inform the media about any of the changes coming towards their Openview platform so we have search around for the necessary info.

Openview is in the process of launching two more channels from the SABC which to me could be their way of trying to make up for the loss of Glow TV so pretty much cost cutting.

Glow TV hasn't been off to a good start formerly owned by Urban Brew Studios. The channel was on the verge of shutting down in 2015 only to be saved by Nismedia.

Even after the new owners came into the equation. The channel has been repetitive not only that losing out on several programming as more competitors such as Zee World and Star Life entered the circuits.

Three years ago, the channel was removed from DStv as the contract ended with them so they sought to eMedia Investments for the unsuccessful eBella channel whose content is now directed onto eExtra.

Seeing that eExtra is now increasing their hours for Kuiertyd. It wouldn't surprise me if it became a Mzansi Magic and kykNET infused channel while the Indian and Koren content were put on a seperate channel perhaps in Rewind's place.

Getting back to Glow TV, viewers will still be able to watch the channel through StarSat while Openview viewers have eExtra and Star Life to keep them occupied.

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M-Net City And VUZU Reportedly The Next Channels Set To Go Off Air On DStv, Will Merge Into One Brand, ME

According to several DStv customers, they've apparently recieved a message which stated that M-Net City (channel 115) and VUZU (channel 116) will go off air soon for a new channel called ME.

This news is really shocking considering how M-Net has been very clingy to VUZU I guess they finally realised how crappy the channel has gotten following the launch of 1Magic (formerly VUZU Amp) so the merge with M-Net City will give it's lineup some relevancy.

ME is said to be the home of world-class entertainment so basically it will be M-Net Series all over again. Why not give it an M-Net branding since they'll likely be using it for reruns on M-Net and 1Magic. The name ME might have been derived from VUZU's former counterpart GO.

VUZU is available from the family package while M-Net City starts from the Compact package.

It wouldn't surprise me if this channel is made available on channel 115 to Compact subscribers while Family customers are given E! or MTV to make up for VUZU seeing that it's a reality channel and M-Net will try to make ME a top priority.

This would be similar to what they did with M-Net Movies All-Stars on Family when it became M-Net Movies 3 for Compact customers due to M-Net Movies Action.

The demise of M-Net City will bring a lot of outrage amongst customers. Despite not being 24/7 with most of its lineup consisting of repeats. The channel was unique in a way some would say it had a better offering than Universal TV.

Now these same people will likely rally around Universal TV to avoid those housewives and if my assumption is correct for family customers they'll lose out on several sitcoms as well as the final season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

These termination could have come as a result of the pandemic and also the rise in streaming with several of M-Net's distributors withholding content for their own platforms.

From 1st November, M-Net City and VUZU merge into one channel known as ME and with this change on the horizon, how long do you suppose it will be till the same is done to Mzansi Wethu and Mzansi Music?

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